If your stools are pale or clay-colored, you may have a problem with the drainage of your biliary system. We’ll explain the causes of pale or clay-colored stools, diagnosis, and treatments.

Pale, clay-colored stools can indicate a lack of bile within the stool. This is usually due to an obstruction of the bile ducts (gallstones, tumor) or liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis).

White or clay-colored stool is often the first sign of the disorder, which occurs in one of every 14,000 newborns in the United States.